Bookmark



Oct. 5 1926.

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' metal of ,I more, they are i, each other, so that a leaf latented Oct.5, 1926.

*Unirse STATES GLENN L. JACKSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BOOKMARK.

Application Vfiled. September My invention relates to book-marks andmore particularly to a device of this type which is simple, effective,easily used, and cheap to manufacture. f

Heretofore, devices of the prior art have been of complicated design.vThese devices are made bulky and awkward, and are expensive.y Itiscommonfor them to have unsightly and undesirable,projections extend` ingbeyond the margin wherebythese .pro-l jections are liablet'o be knockedin the handling of the book which usually results in the losing ofthebook marksorY their places in the book or injury to the book. Further?.V

usually of paper, or thickmaterial, which makes them less practical anduseful. ,Y

An object of my invention is to provide a book-mark of improved design,which overcomes the above objections,v and is practical and capable ofextensive use.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following detaileddescription taken in connection with theV accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Figure l illustrates a pluralityV of bookmarks in use along the marginof the leaves of a book;

Fig. 2 illustrates, on a larger scale, one of the book-marks as appliedto the margin of a leaf' 3 is a plan view of the device before finallyformed;

Fig. l is a top view of the device; and

Fig. 5 is a side view of the same. y

Referring now to the drawings, a bookmark embodying my inventioncomprises a strip 1 of relatively thin flexible tenuous sheet material,such as metal, or other suit-- able material, bent across in a straightline near the middle, or between its ends, so as to provide iiatlyopposed legs 2 and 3 preferably of different lengths. Legs 2 and Smay beresiliently, but lightly, pressed against Amay'be'easily inserted, yetgripped by sufficient pressure to prevent the book-mark fromaccidentally slipping on". I find that, if I employ sheet considerablethinness, it is possible to stamp out the strip l shown in Fig. 3 andquickly bend it to the form shown in Fig. 5. In this latter figure it isapparent that both legs may be brought so closely together thatpractically no space is left at the point designated 5 but in view ofthe other Y 8, 1924. vSerial No. 736,407.

fact that the4 material is thin and flexible, the legs 2 and `3 quicklyspread when a leaf of the book is inserted. Y

j However, it will be noticed that the minimum separation Vof the legsis adjacent to the edge 6, so that the leaf will be gripped the greatestwhen the book-mark is moved inward the full length, that is, the maximumgripping effect of the legs 2' and 3 upon the leaf insertedrtherebetween will be at the edge 6, or in'close proximity thereto,thereby requiring the book mark to bemounted the maximum length whichallows only thev edgeV 6 to protrude. The margin of the leafY willcontact with the edge 6 and be strength-l 70 ened thereby at thisplace.; This tends to prevent the leaf `from being torirwlien thel bookis opened to locate the place marked by the device, the leaf sometimesbeing. A gripped at the spot to turn the remaining leaves forwardly orbackwardly as the case may be; Y i

Leg 2 may be the upper leg. If so desired it may be formed to serve as apointer, the purpose ofwhich, allows the book mark to be placed anywherealong the margin of the leaf to designate the place last read by theperson. It is at this point in the description that I desire toemphasize the versatile use of my device. Its simple construction per-vmitsits mounting anywhere along the margin of the leaf to indicate thatpart of the page, as well as the Vpage itself, last read. I find thatmerely marking the page is insufficient in itself, as it generallyrequires considerable re-reading, or loss of time to find particulardata which has been noted for future use. n

In use, the device is slipped upon the leaf, this being facilitatedbythe lower leg 3 vbe- 9.3 ing the longer leg, and also by a notch 4provided therein. The device is'of a thin stripof light metal and bentnear the middle so that nothing but the edge 6 lies outside the book,but this edge is'thin and lies le@ closely against the .margin of theleaf, i'n a straight line and in contacting relation (as illustrated inFig. 2), which is just sutlicient to indicate the location of the devicewhen'in position on'a leaf of a book when closed. Hence, the devicefully andeffectively serves itspurpose, without being too complicated,bulky, unsightly, or'so heavy-as to tear the leaf of a book.

In Fig. 2, I have shown my device enlarged ,110

1f the-same as shown in Fig. 5.

and placed upon a leaf of a book primarily to illustrate the relativethickness of the legs f the book-mark With respect to the thickness ofthe page, and also the manner in Which these legs lie flatly against theopposite sides of the leaf.

While not illustrated, the device may be furnished With the legs 2 and 3pinched` tightly against eachother. In vievv of the resiliency of thesheet material employed, the legs may be readily separated, When thedevice is used, merely by placing the longer leg on one sideof the .leafand pressing it thereagainst, whereupon both legsspread, In eitherevent, the book-mark lies closelya'gainstthe leaf on opposite sides, asshovvn in Fig.' 2, and eliminates any bulging of the book when closed. Yv. ,A .Y

Byiny invention l .avoid all undesirable projections frem the marginofthev leaf and provide the thin vedge @only lying Without the leaf,vvhichedge provides a neat appearance, and hldsthe device on theleaf,.and

at the Esaine time serves to indicate the location of the book-mark. y.

ltfWill be observed that my book-mark in its preferred form, asdisclosed in the specification, is made. from one piece and kindbf metalor other resilient material Without the use of glue or adhesivesubstance Whatever. The cost of manufacture is thereby reduced to aminimum and the possibility of different members becoming detached fromeach other is obviated. The device can be attached to a page and removedinnumerable times Without damage to it or to the page. It does notproject from the edge of thefbook page more than the thickness 'of thematerial, which is about the thickness .of a sheet of aper. It can,therefore, be used on books t at are carried in briefcases or yin thepocket and Will not be subject to Vmcidental removal or displacement,lnor be vthe cause of damageto the book, It is designed and adapted tobe removably attached to the book-leaf in a manner and at a place thatwill indicate to the reader lthe ekactline tostart reading. Being madeof one integral piece bent inter.- mediate of its ends to form tvvoopposed holding or gripping members, the gripping or .holding leffect ofthe device. on. the` leaf of a book arises from ka balancedand 4equalpressure Yupon directly opposite 'sides of the leaf and, accordingly,there is no tendency `of the device either to tear or shear vtheboekleaf at the edges of the tongues or members, or -to bendl or crushAthe leaf around' kthe tongues. Moreover, the .holding .power of thesevtongues comesfrm the bend in the metal and -the ,ffull Width. ,of theAmet-al is utilized in this bend, so that the ,nietal b e`v practicallyas .thin yas Ythe..beek-leat-'f and the device ivill yet hold securely;Thus Without projecting beyond the edge of the leaf more than thethickness of the metal a substantial and' secure gripping deviceis'secured. By making the device in this Way, thin material may be usedWhile at the same time securing strength and a nrrn grip on thebook-leaf.

Again, my device depends for its support upon the leaf only to which itis applied and is not required to be attached to the cover of the bookwhich would be objectionable for various reasons, such as the difhcultyof making it applicablev alike to thick and thin books and ytheAliability to displacement uhen the boks are` pushed into or removedfrom a closely packed line of books on. alibrarys'lielf. lt is intendedto mark the `place last read or tvher'e Vnext to begin reading` afterthe boek has been laiclaway or placed on the. shelf .as in libraries.VIn the lattermcase, the presence of the device in the bookis notnoticeable; it is ,not liable to displacement in the handling 'of thebook in returningit to the shelves orgetting'it again for' the reader,and the book is not injured by tearing, shearing or creasing of theleaves.

I claim: y

l. A book mark adapted to be slipped ver the edge of a leafof a bookconsisting of a narrow strip of light flexible tenuous sheet materialsharply bent across ina straight line to form flatly opposed legs, saidlegs being spaced apart al distance lessV than the thickness of the leafat a point in close proximity to the bend whereby t-he device lightlyand flexibly grips the edge of the leaf, thereby affording minimumseparation of the leaves of the book When closed, and also 'requiringthe device to be slipped the maximum distance inwardly on the leaf, saidbend lying in Va close straight lineycontact against the yedge of ltheleaf so as to afford a protrusion from the leaf no greater than thethickness ofthematerial.v

2. A book mark adapted to be slipped over the edge of a leaf of a` bookconsisting of a narrowstri of light, flexible, tenuous sheetmaterial,vbent across in a straight lineto form lflatly opposed legs to embracethe leaf, the sharp bending causing the legs lightly and Heiribly to theeXtreme edge ofthe leaf and affording .minimum separaof the leaves ofthe book .When closed, .and the'straieht bend enabling the device .tobey placed at any pointA Valong the edge of theleaf Withoutobjectionably protruding. 3. A book mark adapted Yto be slipped over the.edge of a leaf offa `boekje.onsistir'ig of a narrow stripv f lightflexible tenuous sheet mate'rialV bent acioss in a straight lineform'ilatly oppesed legs, one-of which shorter than the other `and 'one,o'f `which lis. .`sofforme'd "as to serve as a pointer, 'said legs'lightly and 'fleiibly the lek;-

treme edge of the leaf and-affording minimum separation of the leaves ofthe book when closed, the straight bend adapted to lie at any pointalong the edge of the leaf in close contactual relation so as to aord aprotrusion from the leaf no greater than the thickness of the material.

4. A book mark comprising a strip of relatively thin flexible materialwith a thickness substantially no greater than the thickness of a leafof a book, said strip being bent to embrace the margin of the leaf andbe adjustable there along, said bent portion lying without the leaf andin close contact- 15 ing relation with its edge whereby this bentportion'protrudes a distance no greater than the thickness of thematerial.

5. A book mark comprising a strip of I relatively thin flexible materialbent upon itself between its ends, said strip embracing the margin of aleaf of a book and adjustable there along to indicate any place on thepage last read, the bent portionof said strip contacting with the edgeof the leaf whereby the protrusion thereof from the leaf issubstantially equal to the thickness of the material.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GLENN L. JACKSON.

